Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-05-26
AN ALeAeMlat,a eroREr.

To Mahe q "MHute Mirrar's- -t'resaription
for Manufacturing Artificial uaid,
pafaepsus was not professional Hstfolo.
ger, aud scornfully rejected the doctrine that
tho course Of the stars can affect the fate OF n
imam. lie revealed more IN alchemy In al.
llanee with astfology ThuH, certain Sub
ttahees have the power 10 absorb and retain
planetary influences and In this way "mngio
mirrors" may be prepared, "lf, says Para
celsius, tive make composition Of seven
metals IN the proper order and NJ the proper
time we will obtain a metal which contains
all the virtues of the seven. Such compo.
sition IL called 'electrum' IL contains not
only che physical but the astral virtues Of the
seven metals that enter into lie composition,
and the electrum Is one OF the most valuable
preparations known 30 secret science. The
ordinary metals cannot he compared with IL
on account Of It's magic power A vessel
made OF the oectrum will Immediately lndi.
cate " any poisonous substance has been sur
reptitiuusly put into it, because IL will begin
90 sweht on the outside"
Here, first, is a prescription for the manu-
fucturc of artificial gold, taken fronInn old
nlchemistcal manuscripts
"1nkc equal parts Of powdered iron, subli-
illhteU sulphur anu tIule hllllnonN. MclL ~
IN n crucble and keep it In red heat for eight
hours. Powder II aud calcine II until the
sulphur is evnporated. Mix two parts of this
powder with one part Of calclned borax and
melt u again Powder and dissolve It In
common muriahc acid and let II stand In
moderate heat for one month. Tho fluid is
then 81 be put into retort and distilled, and
the fluid that collects In the recipient tthe
t,,t
again distilled, and this is repeated three
timcs The third time O red powder will be
left IN the retort This powder Is TO be dis
solved IN tho 'menstiuum phlosophicum,'
which Is made by pouring chloride of anti
mony into water, fltering and evaporating
the fluid 90 certain extent TO make it
stronger The solution is to be evaporated
again and tho remaining powder mixed with
i.R own weight Of corrosive sublimate OF mer-
curry This powder is TO he dissolved again
In diluted murlatic acid and distilled until
red, oily fubstance passes into tho receiver.
II you btaln this oil, you may take some
newly prepared chloride Of silver, saturate it
gradually with tho oil and dry IL. Put ono
part Of this powder into five parts of molten
lead Separate the lead ngnin from the silver
by cupellation, and you will find that one
third Of the silver has been transformed into
gold"
II would be cheaper and easier, in the long
run, II ono could find the prescription for tho
"tinctura physlca," red ethereal fluid which
was capable Of transmitting all inferior met
ais into gold, and had other wonderful vir-
tues as well. Paracelsus had the secret Of
this fluid, ho says, but has not revealed it.
Possibly tho prescription Is tho "treasure"
which he said no had buried at the hospital OF
Weiden, and which is "jcwel Of such
value that neither Pope Leo nor the Emperor
Carolus could buy 1t with all his wealth.
All the Year Round.
1,,,, ,t,. EryIny pan Into ,ha Etro